Advance Decision on Life-Sustaining Treatment to take effect next Fri

The Advance Decision on Life-Sustaining Treatment will take effect next Friday.

The Fire Services Department and two medical auxiliary units say they will check whether the patients' Do-Not-Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation document is valid or applicable before executing the order.

Starting next Friday, terminal patients can opt out of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR when cardiac arrest occurs through advance medical directives. The DNACPR order should be endorsed by two registered doctors.

The Fire Services Department, Auxiliary Medical Service and St. John Ambulance Brigade gave more clarity on the principles and protocols for executing orders.

Patients must have the original form or a certified copy signed by the relevant doctors or lawyer. The order's validity period has not expired.

The patient's cardiopulmonary arrest at the time was not caused by unnatural factors such as suicide, homicide or accident.

Still, with the DNACPR order, it does not automatically mean forgoing other life-sustaining treatment. Medics will still be there to provide appropriate care and the patient will be sent to the nearest hospital.

In case of any uncertainty towards the validity of the DNACPR document, medics will follow the principle of saving lives first.

Assis. Chief Ambulance Officer (HQs), Fire Services Dept. TONG SZE-HO: "Normally, it won't take long to assess, and we don't have a definite time limit to ensure it must be checked, but most importantly, if the caller can show the order when we arrive at the scene, that would definitely help us to take appropriate action immediately."

Authorities also remind patients who have been issued a Do-Not-Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation form to carry the document with them at all times. Otherwise, emergency responders may not be able to follow the patients' end-of-life wishes.

The Fire Services Department and the two auxiliary medical units have also trained staff and members to ensure their familiarity with the latest protocols.